Sub Work

World Ports Conference: Discuss LNG Trends

IAPH Encourages More Ports’ Involvement to Help Shape Best Industry Practices and Regulations   With the global shipping industry showing increased interest in the use of LNG as a fuel for vessels, members of the International Association of Ports and Harbors are laying the groundwork for how ports worldwide can accommodate this emerging trend. LNG will be the focus of technical committee and panel discussions at IAPH’s 28th World Ports Conference May 6-10 at LA Live in downtown Los Angeles. It is generally expected that by 2015 a number of progressive shipping lines will have LNG-powered vessels in their fleet, presenting a challenge for ports and shipping lines worldwide. Some vessels today are already LNG-powered and more are on order. According to a recent study from the Danish Maritime Authority the current use of natural gas within the SECA-zone is expected to increase by 140% by 2020, due to the use of LNG as a shipping fuel and usage on land by trucks and busses. Using LNG instead of conventional fuels offers substantial environmental benefits in comparison to conventional fuels. Sulfur and particle emissions would be reduced to almost zero, nitrogen oxide emissions by 85-90 per cent and net greenhouse gases by 15-20%. Overall, LNG is a cleaner, more cost-competitive fuel, and it meets the upcoming 2015 IMO regulations

GD Wins $8m for Virginia-class Sub Work

General Dynamics Electric Boat has been awarded an $8.3 million contract modification by the U.S. Navy to procure components for Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines. Electric Boat is a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD). Under the contract modification, Electric Boat will procure material for the construction of Advanced Integrated Low Pressure Electrolyzers used on Virginia-class submarines

BAE Lands Sub Export Order

Spanish shipbuilding firm Navantia has placed an order for parts for four diesel-electric subs. Under the deal, BAE will make eight pressure domes at its base in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, and deliver them to Navantia by the end of 2007. BAE saw off competition from Germany, France, Russia and the US to win the parts order. The deal marks the company's first foray into the newbuild export market since 1987 - although BAE has carried out refurbishment work on other submarines.

Star Bulk Updates Employment Status of Star Beta

Under the related time charter agreement, ICI was obligated to pay Star Bulk a gross daily charter hire rate of $106,500 until February 2010. In turn, ICI sub-chartered the vessel for one year to Oldendorff Gmbh & Co. KG of (Oldendorff) at a gross daily charter hire rate of $130,000 until February 2009. ICI has assigned its rights and obligations under the sub-charter to Star Bulk in exchange for it being released from the remaining term of the ICI charter.

Analox wins US and UK Naval Contracts

Analox has been awarded a contract by the US Defense department for the supply of a 40 additional Sub MkIIP Submarine Escape Monitors. This adds to the fleet’s current pool of 209 operational Sub MkIIP analysers.  In addition to supplying the fleet, Analox is contracted to the annual in service support of the analysers. The Sub MkIIP is a vital decision making aid on any disabled submarine, and part of a unique set of escape and rescue equipments installed onto the submarine in

IMO PaperSmart Meeting Restructures Sub-Committees

The IMO Council, meeting for its 109th session in London has endorsed, in principle, a restructuring of IMO's Sub-Committees. The Council meeting was the first “PaperSmart” meeting for the Organization, and was considered a success by delegates. Delegates were invited to make the meeting "paperless" (PaperSmart), to reduce costs and make IMO meetings "environment friendly".  Delegates were asked to come to the meeting with their own laptops

Sub Threats Top Priority

In November, a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force plane noticed a suspicious object in Japanese waters off Okinawa. News reports at the time said it was a Chinese submarine scouting coastal water routes. The observation sparked a small international incident and illustrated the rising threat of one of the most dangerous weapon platforms available, defense analysts say. The amazing firepower of submarines, according to a congressional report, can take out ships and

IMO Establishes New Division to Reinforce Security

Enhanced focus on maritime security in IMO Secretariat IMO Secretary-General, Efthimios E. Mitropoulos, has established a new subdivision within the IMO Secretariat’s Maritime Safety Division to reinforce the high priority given by the Organization to matters of maritime security. The new sub-division will provide a stronger focus on security matters and will address the complimentary issue of facilitation of maritime traffic

What Happened to the Hunley?

Since its sinking on February 17, 1864, researchers and historians have pondered the above question for more than a century. What we do know, however is that a piece of Civil War history had been lying on the floor of Charleston Harbor off the coast of South Carolina. For all this time, no one, except showman P.T. Barnum (he once offered a $100,000 for the Hunley's recover during the 19th Century) had attempted to recover the doomed sub.

Treasure Hunters to Get Custom ROV

Treasure hunters Sub Sea Research team up with Howe and Howe Technologies to recover 'Port Nicholson' cargo. Last year, Sub Sea Research made international news with the announcement of their discovery of the $4 billion gold and platinum cargo aboard the SS Port Nicholson, a freighter that was sunk by a German U-Boat off the coast of Massachusetts in 1942. A year on, Sub Sea Research has teamed up with Maine-based, award winning technology company Howe and Howe